Hey, Celebrity Chefs! Stay Out of the Kitchen

DEAR DEREK,Surprisingly, quite the opposite. If you see a celebrity cooking in his or her restaurant, politely excuse yourself and go elsewhere. Okay, that's a bit harsh. But here's my reasoning: Many celebrity chefs don't cook. They used to. They still know how, but after years of 15-hour days in the kitchen, the last thing they want is to work the line night after night. It may be disappointing for the Food Network fanatic not to see her favorite chef at his own restaurants, but rest assured, it's not usually the star chef who makes the food great. It's the chef de cuisine and sous-chefs--the nameless folks who toil away hoping to one day become stars themselves. These are the people you want cooking your meal--the next Achatz, Batali, and Colicchio. The best kitchens are intricate machines that run on precision and timing. One small misstep--like a celebrity chef's surprise appearance--can ruin the entire evening's flow. Young chefs lose their concentration, or the celebrity starts tweaking dishes on the spot and the cooks get backed up. So, celebrity chefs, stay out of the kitchen, work the room shaking hands and selling books, and leave the cooking to your cooks. That way, we diners get the best possible meal.